


Returning

by howterrifying



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: F/M, Sherlolly - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-25
Updated: 2020-04-25
Packaged: 2021-03-02 01:33:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,525
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23836942
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/howterrifying/pseuds/howterrifying
Summary: Sherlock and Molly realise that some things change and some do not, but even with change, some things change for the better.
Relationships: Sherlock Holmes & Molly Hooper, Sherlock Holmes/Molly Hooper
Comments: 21
Kudos: 89





	Returning

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know how multi-shippers do it sometimes. It really is very hard to move from one ship’s headspace into another. At least that’s the case for me. I had to go open up an old Sherlolly playlist and read some old notes before I could get the Sherlolly gears going and start hearing the characters speak and form themselves in my head. Nostalgia is a beautiful thing and I think it’s that sense of ‘coming back’ that ended up forming the base of this story. I hope you’ll like it. x

**Returning  
**  
“So if there are no further questions on today’s lecture topic, I’m going to go through the rubrics of the quarterly evaluation and how it’s going to factor into your final examination.”   
  
Molly Hooper had clicked to the next slide of her presentation when the doors to the lecture auditorium burst open. Two uniformed policewomen came rushing down the steps to scan the body of students whilst the rest moved to cover every exit.  
  
“Excuse me, but what’s going o—”   
“Apologies for interrupting, Professor, but we are looking for a Ms Katherine Palmer.”   
  
The non-apologetic tone of the apology struck a most familiar chord. Molly looked up to isolate where this voice had come from and to her surprise, she saw a figure she had not seen in years. At least not in person. The tall detective and that coat of his still featured in the occasional front-page splash or evening news on the television, but other than that, Molly had not seen him.   
  
“Mr Holmes, we’ve found her,” reported one of the policewomen.  
“Good. Another case closed,” remarked Sherlock, his voice laced with that unchanging smugness.  
  
The two policewomen began their exit as they escorted a disgruntled and riled forensics major out of the auditorium.  
  
“Now, if you’ll excuse us…” the detective continued, his eyes now fixed on the professor.   
  
Whilst the uniformed group of law enforcement filed out of the auditorium, Sherlock Holmes cut through them like a fish swimming against the current and continued down the steps to where Molly stood. As he approached Molly, she took two steps back unknowingly and it caused him to stop in his tracks.   
  
“I’m sorry, is this—”  
  
Sherlock’s tone was different. It was _not_ a non-apology.   
  
“A bad time?” Molly continued for him.   
  
He could only nod in response. The ego that had been his halo when he made the arrest seemed to have diminished. Now, he was just a man in a long coat standing before her, unable to find anymore words to say.   
  
“I’m done in 20 minutes,” she whispered, smiling gently at him.   
  
Molly reached out and touched his elbow, her fingers only lightly skimming the surface of the fabric.  
  
“The usual place?” he asked, looking up suddenly after he realised he had completely avoided her gaze.   
“Yes. I’ll see you there.”   
  
Molly removed her hand from his elbow and returned to her presentation. With another quick nod, Sherlock left the auditorium, the tone of his exit completely opposite from his entrance.   
  
+++  
  
As Molly made her way to their meeting place, she smiled to herself as she attempted to trace its history. It was so long ago she could barely remember how it had all begun, how this place had become theirs. Even now, in spite of the gap they had formed, when Molly arrived at the building, she felt it again instantly. This place really would always be _theirs_.   
  
It took a while to get to the final floor but the view at the rooftop of Bart’s was always worth it. Well, there was nothing extraordinary about the view but it was an open, quiet space and it had become _their_ space.   
  
He was there already, standing at their favourite spot by the parapet that overlooked the street in front of the hospital. It occurred to Molly that in all the times they had come up here to meet, it had never been arranged. Somehow, either of them always knew and they would always convene here.   
  
It took one footstep towards Sherlock to cause him to turn swiftly around to face her. They smiled warmly at each other as the distance between them closed.  
  
“I see you’re back in London,” Molly began.   
“You know I’ve been back. Surely you’ve seen the news,” he replied.   
“Sorry, yes… I did know.”   
“You don’t have to apologise—”  
“And neither do you, if…that’s what this is about,” Molly interjected.   
  
Sherlock exhaled sharply and turned away from her to look down at the street below them. Molly followed suit and stood beside him, deciding to focus her gaze on one of the traffic lights.   
  
“I didn’t know you’d left… Barts,” Sherlock continued.   
“I thought a fresh start would be good,” Molly said with a shrug, “Besides, you’re always talking about how you wished there were more _Molly Hoopers_ whenever you had a case…”  
  
Her words caused them both to chuckle. He did remember saying that, on many occasions, in fact.   
  
“Those students are very privileged,” he said. “You’re very good at what you do, Molly.”  
“I know,” she said with a smile, “Thank you.”   
  
The silence between them was comfortable, surprising them both. They had fallen back so easily into this routine of theirs that it almost erased their absences in each other’s lives these past few years.   
  
“I’m sorry I had to leave.”  
  
Molly was surprised again. He _had_ said it. She had never needed him to say it and yet he had.   
  
“Sherlock, I told you… This matter with Eurus, fixing all that had transpired in your family, you needed the time. Frankly, if you hadn’t left, I’d have _made_ you go.”  
“I know, but I regret what it’s caused.”  
“How do you mean?”  
“I regret that it’s caused _this_. This…estrangement.”  
“We are not _estranged,_ Sherlock,” Molly said with a laugh.   
  
Molly may have laughed but it only caused her to realise that Sherlock was right. They _were_ estranged, and for the first time, the truth of the matter finally seemed to hit her.  
  
“When I saw you, just now,” Sherlock continued, “And the way you stepped back…”  
  
Had she? Molly had not noticed. The day was starting to turn out to be a bit of a revelation.   
  
“Did I?” she said with a small frown, “I didn't realise…”  
“That’s what frightened me,” confessed the detective, “that you didn’t realise…”  
“Nothing frightens you, Sherlock,” Molly remarked in an attempt to lift the mood.  
  
He smiled blankly at her comment and took in a deep, slow breath.   
  
“I’ve come to learn, Molly,” he said, turning to her, “that I’m not quite so invincible.”  
  
This was new and Molly was taken aback. His eyes had softened in a way she had never known possible. His gaze seemed to be trying to reach out to her in and it genuinely shocked her. In their brief period together before they had parted, she had seen that he had changed, but nothing like this.   
  
“If it’s any consolation,” Molly began, smiling tenderly at him, “I’ve always known you weren’t.”  
  
Her words made him chuckle and she exhaled in relief that he had. Whether it had been their estrangement or the just the sheer severity of his change, Molly did not mind the initial shock. She was now glad for it because it was good for him. The masks he kept putting on were eventually going to crush him.   
  
“Well, I suppose I’ll have to woo you again,” said Sherlock with a tiny smile.   
“When have you _ever_ attempted to woo me?” laughed Molly.  
“I’ll admit that I myself don’t know,” he answered with a small laugh of his own.   
  
Molly smiled and shook her head. She then shifted closer and leaned gently against him. Without any hesitation, Sherlock turned to kiss the top of her hair.  
  
“We’re not _that_ estranged,” Molly said softly.  
“It’s comforting to hear you say that,” he answered, unable to resist a smile.   
  
Molly shifted again and this time, she turned to face him fully, causing him to turn to face her too. Without saying anything, they both converged into an embrace, their arms firmly around each other.   
  
“Dinner?” asked Sherlock gently.   
  
Molly smiled against his shirt and shut her eyes. Perhaps they _had_ been estranged, but it seemed light years away now. There was so much she remembered now, so much of _them_. It seemed Sherlock felt the same way.   
  
“Is this you trying to woo me, Sherlock Holmes?” she replied, chuckling in his embrace.  
“Obviously,” he replied, only to chuckle along with her too.   
  
They pulled apart but only so they could kiss. No amount of estrangement could make either of them forget the way it felt when their lips touched. It was as though every cell in their bodies had reignited, coming alive after having been dormant for so long.   
  
“I'd like you to meet her,” said Sherlock, after reluctantly pulling apart from Molly.   
“I’d love to,” Molly answered.   
“I’ve told her so much about you,” he continued.   
“Oh, should I be worried?” Molly remarked, raising an eyebrow.   
“No, no, she’s excited her brother’s found someone wise.”  
“What? But you’re a family of _geniuses_ —”  
“Someone _wise_ , Molly,” he interrupted with a smile, “We may be geniuses, us Holmes siblings, but we’re not always wise…”  
Molly nodded, smiling. She could not disagree with that.   
  
“Oh, but there is one thing,” Sherlock continued. He looked like he was biting down a growing smile.   
  
“And what’s that?” asked Molly, curious.   
  
A smile appeared on the detective’s face, an almost sheepish-looking smile.   
  
“She thinks you’re my wife,” said Sherlock at last, before swooping in to kiss a very surprised Molly once more.   
  
**END**


End file.
